Codename: Ghost
by Phantomcrawler
Summary: The X-Men pick up a new girl, but will she be able to hack it, or even be able to trust anyone? Rated M for violence, strong language and possible adult themes.


My breathing was ragged as I flitted from one place to another, a sudden whirl of red smoke and I was gone again, someone was chasing me. I had been teleporting for hours, trying to shake them off, and I was starting to feel dizzy. My legs wobbled, my vision blurred, but I kept going, focusing on where I was about to appear with all of my might.

"Vy don't you just stop?" A voice asked from behind me, the unique, honest, almost caring German accent in his tone was what made me turn around. The being that had spoken took a deep breath, obviously as worn out as I was, "Vat's ze point on running? Ve're tvying to help!"

I was taken aback at his appearance, when I'd heard him speak, my mind immediately thought of the stereotypical Aryan man, the blonde hair and blue eyes, with perfect skin. What I didn't think was that I'd be faced with this beautiful creature before me. I marvelled at his golden eyes as he stared at me, watching me in case I attempted another escape. His royal blue skin held a beautiful contrast to his eyes, his hair, the same colour of his brilliant skin, hung over his eyes.

"Who said I needed help?" I spat back, hoping he'd get the idea.

A smile spread across his lips until he revealed perfect white teeth, "Me." He'd gone in a puff of blue smoke; I thought he'd left me alone... Until I felt arms wrap around me and I was suddenly enveloped in blue smoke.

"Get off me!" I demanded as he appeared somewhere else; I stumbled backwards, away from his grip, "What the hell? Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"If you'd just listen I'd tell you. Ze provessor vants to see you, so come vith me" He waved his hand and beckoned me to follow him. There was no point attempting another escape, I was too tired to do anything but walk, dragging my feet behind me.

"So, you're a teleporter, are you?" I asked, stepping gingerly behind him, still cautious, "What do they call you?"

He flashed me another grin, "I am known as Nightcvaler! My name is Kurt Wagner... Vat about you?"

"Well, Nightcrawler... I... I haven't really got a name. In Mexico, where I _tried _to escape to, they called me 'Diablo', I mean, wherever I go there are-" I paused, suddenly finding myself explaining everything to him. I quickly retreated back into my shell, giving him a simple, "Jen." Before keeping quiet for the rest of the walk.

We were inside a grand building. The halls were wooden, polished and dark. This place was amazing. We walked down an otherwise empty corridor. The extravagant wooden walls were patterned intricately around the boarders, the dark, practised surface of the walls and floors let the sunlight that peered in through the windows bounce off them.

My nerves started to calm a little as I neared an office at the end of the corridor, I didn't know what it was about the room, but it seemed to emit something that made me feel at home; safe.

When Nightcrawler knocked on the wooden door, the sound resonated through the hallway, bouncing off every surface. From somewhere within the room before us, a stern, fatherly voice spoke, "Come in."

"I've brought ze girl, provessor,"

A kindly looking bald man looked up from where he was sitting, a caring expression apparent on his face. He smiled over at me, as I hung my head in order to cover the embarrassed face I wore under my dark fringe. Several others were in the room with him, I noticed. The man I'd originally focused on spoke, "Hello, Jen. My Name is Charles Xavier, here we run a school for 'gifted youngsters', for people like us. This is a safe haven for all of mutant-kind."

I glanced nervously across at the other people present before replying, "Why have you brought me here?"

"We want you to join us," A woman spoke this time, with startling white locks of hair and skin like cocoa. I took a step back, watching her movements carefully, and ready to teleport at any time. I wanted to hear them out, but not at the risk of my safety.

"And that would entail...?"

She smiled, glad that I was being patient, "You'd be assessed, for your ability, and assigned a class if possible. If not, you'd simply take a room here and help us when needed. You'd be given free lodgings and food in exchange for your services to the X-Men."

"I don't know... I mean, why would you want me to-"

"Trust me, bub, it's worth it," A short man, around the same height as me, shifted his weight onto one foot and stared across at me. His eyes scanned my figure, as if deciding whether or not I'd be any good in hand-to-hand combat. His arms were folded across his chest and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over his muscles, doing the same thing as he was doing, we were sizing each other up.

He didn't look that tough.

I snorted out a laugh, "Bub?"

"What?"

"What's that supposed to be?" I mocked carefully. Pausing, I smiled sweetly, licking my lips unthinkingly, they were drying up; "Y'know, I think I might stick around a little..."

"Excellent!" Xavier smiled and indicated to the short man, "Logan will show you to the danger room... Logan?"

_Danger room?_

Logan, obviously the man who I'd taken a sudden interest in, moved towards the door. My stance was still that of someone ready to jump into a fight, while his was relaxed, as though he'd decided that I wasn't a threat.

I followed him, my shoes tapping the floor lightly as I did so. My eyes flickered over his figure, he did look tough, but for me, it shouldn't be a problem... I hoped. I took an instant disliking to him; he was arrogant, he acted as though the world should revolve around him... Or at least, that's what I discerned from his body language.

Logan's black hair was styled oddly, like two horns. Long, out of control sideburns adorned his face, how he still managed to pull it off was impressive. He was attractive, I'd give him that. I walked behind him, keeping my eyes fixed intently on his back.

This man was not leaving my sight, nor was I letting my guard down.

"This," he said lazily, gesturing towards the room he was standing beside, "is the danger room. You'll be fighting against me... Apparently."

I smiled, following him into the room. A simulated scene unfolded before me. Trees huddled together, crowding around Logan and I. My gaze shifted from the made up forest and back to the man in front of me; who bore a toothy grin. I watched him as he charged at me, roaring. Long, metal talons extended from between his knuckles as he did so, forming three long, deadly looking claws on each hand.

Panicking, I teleported to somewhere safer, somewhere hidden in the trees. What was he doing? Once I had wrapped my legs around the branch I was perched on, I let go and swung underneath, in order to get a better look at my opponent.

His blue eyes scanned the room – or forest, as it now was. My agility gave me the upper hand, so it seemed. I assessed him for the second time today, this time deciding his fighting tactics, his weight... Everything.

Assuming the metal ran through his whole body, I estimated him to be around 290-300 pounds, a heavy weight for someone so small... That could slow him down a little. If that's all he had in store for me, I should be fine. He was the same height as me; 5ft 3", so there was no advantage there, or at least, not to him. I was at least 150 pounds less than him in weight, so it gave me the upper hand.

Grin stretching across my face, I dropped from the tree and rolled to an upright position. Super-human agility was something else he had to deal with when fighting me, as was a quicker healing factor, the cells regenerated almost instantly after destroyed, my body constantly made cells, but only deployed them to the necessary areas. I barely understood my abilities myself, but that's what I assumed happened.

Logan lunged forward heavily, "You're not going to get away this ti-"

I disappeared again, popping up behind him and landing a quick kick to the back of the head before leaping far enough backwards to escape his talons, "What was that you were saying, Logan?"

He steadied himself and tensed his muscles, trying to discern my weaknesses, I didn't think he cared at all what happened in here, as long as he didn't lose this fight to a woman like me – or a woman at all, I assumed.

"I decided," I struck up a conversation as he slashed his fists forward, the metal gleaming dangerously as he did so, "on my mutant name."

He growled as he missed again, neither of us had landed any hits since I'd kicked him, "Oh?"

"I'll tell you it... But I want to know yours first."

"Wolverine," He stated, standing stock still again, deciding what to do, "Yours?"

"Ghost." I grinned toothily at him before vanishing again, reappearing behind him – but he was expecting it this time. Three long, cold, metal talons penetrated my pale skin, sitting snugly in my stomach. Shocked, I looked down. He didn't move, he looked shocked that he'd allowed himself to do something like that to a potential colleague. A dribble of blood dripped from the corners of my mouth.

A long sigh escaped my lips as I stared down at the wound. Wolverine eventually tore himself away from my injured body, his claws retracting. I looked across at him and smiled bloodily, "Son of a bitch..." I growled, flipping and landing another kick under his chin, sending him reeling backwards. As soon as I'd kicked him, I vanished again, taking the same spot in the trees as I had not too long ago.

Removing my shirt, I ran a hand over the open wound. The flesh was broken, it hung limp. _Why wasn't it healing faster? _I concentrated on the cuts, hoping it would help...

Nothing happened.

I didn't feel faint. I didn't feel as though there was even a mark there. I stared down at my stomach, which was mutilated beyond recognition, "Why won't you work?"

Sighing, I flipped down from my spot, glaring at the barely hidden man, whose claws were once again extended. He stared at my stomach, wide eyed. I was still shirtless, but I doubt it was that he was staring at. It could have been, but somehow I thought it would have been the gaping hole in my body that drew his focus.

Now I was pissed off...

My wound had started healing, but still very slowly. I was starting to feel a little lightheaded; the blood loss was getting to me. I took a blow to the chest, this time without claws though. Logan was going easy on me...

"What's the matter, short-fry? Getting soft?" I laughed. Another shooting pain ran through my body – perhaps laughing wasn't the best idea, especially with my stomach in shreds.

Wolverine growled in frustration and unsheathed his built-in weapons, this time; I wouldn't let the claws touch me. He smiled lopsidedly, "Not at all, kid..."

I danced around him, leaping out of the way of his deadly claws, a grin clearly apparent on my face as I did so, "Is that the best you can do?" I mocked, dodging another swipe. It was getting dangerous now, I felt really woozy. My smile faded and I glanced to my stomach between each dodge... The blood loss was too heavy, I would have to forfeit.

"Wolverine..." I panted raising a hand in defeat. I was still too tired from teleporting earlier to heal quickly enough; there was nothing I could do but surrender. My hand wavered a little and I fell to my knees, a hard thud echoing throughout the now deactivated danger room, all I could think was, _it was a bad idea to agree to this. They want to find my weakness, not help. They'll destroy me as soon as I relax around h-_

Everything went black.

"... could be months," someone was talking, I couldn't hear most of what they were saying until now. Before this it had all been muffled, incoherent ramblings, "She's healing at least,"


End file.
